oushi wrote:Like I had no knots... My theory comes from working with knots, not from books.

Well I'm not glad that you suffered. But I am glad that you seem to be speaking from the gut, not just the head. When it comes to things like emotional knots, I trust experience over theory. That said, sometimes experience can get stuck in a self-destructive loop without theory to guide it.

When there is this, there is that. When there is not this, there is not that. From the arising of this, that arises. From the ceasing of this, that ceases.

Downloaded and began reading it yesterday. It had never occurred to me that perceived danger has three, not just two responses: fight, flight, and surrender (immobility, freezing, giving up and waiting to be consumed by the danger). It is the author's contention that "the ability to go into and come out of this natural response [surrender] is the key to avoiding the debilitating effects of trauma."

Thanks for the recommendation!

You are welcome. It's a really good book on the subject. People usually don't come to this subject on their own unless they have personal trauma or have family/friends with trauma. It helped me deal with some personal issues. I don't know if either situation is your case, but I hope that the book helps you come to a better understanding on what trauma is and for providing some tools for coping with it. To keep my comments relevant to a Buddhist forum, the book's coping strategies are based on a form of guided mindfulness suitable for therapeutic encounters.

All the best...

All things are unworthy of clinging to (sabbe dhammā nâla abhinivesāyā). --Shakyamuni BuddhaIf there is clinging, you do not have the view. --Drakpa Gyaltsen

rachmiel wrote:The "sediment" of a deeply traumatic experience can take a lifetime to dissolve ... or it might never fully dissolve. Which means that it is present -- if unconsciously -- all that time.

I just wish there could be a quick fix for when the demons arise ...

I've been reading "Buddha's Brain" which talks about Buddhism being used for helping to heal over traumatic events. Pretty decent.

However, for more complex issues ("I just wish there could be a quick fix for when the demons arise ... ") I'm beginning tostudy the practice of Vajrakilaya. At this point I know little other than it precedes Buddhism in Tibet and that the "purbha"dagger is designed to "pin down" and destroy anger and other impediments as they arise. Just passing it along. Much to learn.

And the reason why I take this step is because of my Asperger affected youth. When your entire infancy and childhood are affected so your entire life is a "knot" then I believe it's time to "pull-out-the-big-guns" as we used to say. It's strange to be able to examine a huge part of your psyche and not be able to do much to effectively change responses and habits through mental manipulation, which is my wont.

I know mindfulness is the key and that the puhrba dagger is intended to pierce my anger at it's arising (after purification) and so I proceed.

Lhug-Pa wrote:In the teachings on the practices of Yantra Yoga, 'Khrul-'Khor or Trul-Khor, and Tsa-Lung it is said that heavy stress, emotional traumas, frequent and/or intense outbursts of anger, etc. do cause knots within the Nadis or Channels, which of course effects the mind; and that these knots can actually be untied by the practice of Yantra Yoga, 'Khrul-'Khor/Thrul-Khor, and Tsa-Lung because the physical-body and Prana-energy are not separate from the mind.

when you trust inseparability, this is possible. Other antidotes maybe be called for otherwise... but they'll only take you to inspearability if you have a lucky life.